Chicken slaughtered for “art” in school cafeteria: Urge Alberta College of Art & Design to adopt a policy prohibiting cruelty to animals.

On April 18,2013,a student at the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD)inCalgary, Alberta, Canada,brought a live chicken into the school cafeteria. In front of spectators, the student slowly cut the throat of the writhing, screamingbird. The student proceeded to bleed the chicken out, remove thebird’shead and feathers,and dropherinto a pot–allinthe guise of performance art.

Neither art nor educationeverjustifiesharming and inflicting fear, pain and sufferingand deathupon another sentient being. AsMary Britton Clouse, Executive Director of Chicken Run Rescue and Justice for Animals Arts Guild, says: "Art is about ideas. Animals are not ideas. They are as real as we are. Their suffering and deprivation are psychologically and biologically indisputable, in the present, and mean the world to each individual animal. No act of self-expression is worth the life or liberty of another."

The student`s actions must be recognized as blatant abuse and cruelty inflicted upon a defenceless animal.

Further, the student`s actions may be a sign of psychopathology. A large body of research indicates that those who inflict pain and suffering upon human victims oftenstart byabusingnonhumananimals.

It is alsodisturbingthat the students who witnessed the killing failed to act, and that a teacher allegedly approved the killing.

While the student who committed this cruelty should be prosecuted by authorities and disciplined by the school (along with undergoing mandatory psychological treatment), it is importantthat the ACAD act immediatelyto prevent future act of animal cruelty.

Please join[Canadians for Ethical Treatment of Food Animals (CETFA), United Poultry Concerns (UPC), Chicken Run Rescue, and Justice for Animals Arts Guild (JAAG)] in urgingthe Alberta College of Art and Design to adopt and enforce a policy prohibiting the use ofnonhumananimals by its students,faculty or staff,as well as prohibiting and penalizing animal crueltyin the name of “art:” or any other school-related activity. A Code of Ethical Conduct shouldapply toall students, faculty and staff. Penalties should include expulsion and failure to graduate for students, and job loss for teachers and staff.

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I was dismayed to learn that, on April 18, 2013, an Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) student brought a live chicken into the school cafeteria and slowly cut the throat of the writhing and screaming bird in front of spectators under the guise of performance art.

Further, the student`s actions may be a sign of psychopathology. A large body of research indicates that those who inflict pain and suffering upon human victims often start by inflicting it upon nonhuman animals.

It is also disturbing that students who witnessed the killing failed to intervene, despite being deeply upset by the cruelty, and that a teacher allegedly approved the killing of the chicken by his student.

While the student who committed this cruelty should be disciplined by ACAD and required to undergo psychological treatment, steps must also be taken by ACAD to prevent any future act of animal cruelty.

I therefore urge you to adopt and enforce a formal policy banning nonhuman animals from all school functions and student projects, as well as prohibiting and penalizing animal cruelty. I urge you to adopt and enforce a Code of Ethical Conduct for all students, faculty and staff. Penalties should include expulsion and failure to graduate for students, and job loss for teachers and staff.

Thank you for taking action on behalf of nonhuman animals, compassionate conduct, and humane education.